Arthur Henry Young was born Jan. 14, 1866, near Orangeville, Illinois, and his family moved to Monroe when he was a year old. His father was the successful Monroe grocer, Daniel Young. No Monroe man ever made quite the impression on the world that Art Young did. He was one of America’s premiere political cartoonists. 

He enrolled in the Chicago Academy of Design and in 1892 founded the University of Wisconsin Daily Cardinal. In 1911, he started his “Masses” magazine in New York, which gained national attention for its socialistic stands. Young used his stinging pen to puncture pomposity and the powerful with his cartoons. His anti-war drawings got him into trouble with the government in 1918, but he was acquitted during trial.

He edited Sunday sections of several prominent New York and Chicago newspapers and directed and wrote the script for a silent picture, “Alice in Wonderland.” 

His papers are housed in the Special Collections Library of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He ran unsuccessfully for a New York Assembly seat in 1913. The World War II Liberty Ship SS Art Young named for him. He died in New York City on Dec. 29, 1943 at 77 years old.

“Story of Monroe,” 1976; articles from the Monroe Times pamphlet “50 years in History.”

Monroe has had many colorful residents that are found when using the archives at the Green County Historical Museum. The museum will not open this summer, but appointments can be made for research by calling the museum at 608-324-4676 and leaving a message.